Studio Pilates Master Class –
Toning and Stability
Presented by Tanya Winter
Physiotherapist/Pilates Instructor
Tanya initially started using Pilates as a cross training tool to enhance her swimming performance
which saw her compete at a national level.
She then went on to become a Sports Physiotherapist, but she discovered she could help people
even more by using Pilates to prevent their injuries before they occurred .
Pilates combined her passion of exercise and injury prevention and rehabilitation, and in 2002
Tanya co-founded Studio Pilates International with Olympian and husband Jade Winter.
Tanya’s journey has seen her use Pilates to strengthen her own body after a fractured spine, as well
as to help tone, sculpt and strengthen her clients by personally instructing over 30 000 Pilates
classes in the gym and studio setting.
Tanya also created the Studio Pilates Instructor Certification Program which not only increases the
skills and knowledge of Fitness Trainers, it also empowers Instructors to teach Studio Pilates
classes, which can be found today in many of the country’s leading
health clubs.
For more information about Pilates, please contact Tanya:
07 3899 4555
[email protected]
www.studiopilates.com
EXERCISES
SINGLE LEG CIRCLE – Options: no band or a band around the foot, holding on and supporting with the hands
Inhale circle the leg up towards the ceiling
Exhale circle the leg down
*Reach through the pointed toes; keep the leg turned out from the hip, no rocking of the hips, using the inner
thigh, neutral spine
PENDULUM (Option for circle between the inner thighs or knees squeezed together)
Exhale legs to the centre
Inhale legs over to the side
*Keep the spine imprinted, one buttock will lift off the mat, shoulders on the mat, use the obliques to rate the
body, squeeze the circle
ABDOMINAL CURL – Level 1 Feet on mat (Neutral spine) Level 2 legs in tabletop (Imprinted spine)
Options: a circle between the inner thighs, or no circle and knees squeezed together
Inhale lower the body down
Exhale to curl up
*T-zone flat, ribs towards the hips, eyes on the knees, shoulders down and back, tailbone down;
squeeze the circle/knees together
BEATS WITH THE CIRCLE – also you can beat the heels without the circle to make it easier
Exhale curl the body up and
extend the legs, arms by side
Inhale separate the feet slightly
Exhale squeeze the circle 3 times
*Spine imprinted, tailbone downs,
t-zone flat, knees straight, reach
through the fingers and toes, chin
tucked in, eyes on the knees,
shoulders down and back
SINGLE LEG STRETCH - option for head up or head down for neck pain
Exhale curl up and extend one leg and draw the
other knee towards the chest
Inhale return the knee and swap hands to the other leg
*Imprinted spine, tailbone down, chin tucked in, neck long, eyes on the knees, shoulders down and back, t-zone
flat and ribs to hips, extend through the toes, to make it harder kick lower, draw the knee towards the chest
OBLIQUE CURLS – Level 1 feet down neutral spine, Level 2 legs in tabletop imprinted spine
Inhale lower the body down
Exhale to curl up and rotate the body
*Keep hips and pelvis and legs still, rotate one rib or shoulder across to opposite hip, elbows wide
CRISS CROSS
Exhale curl the body up and rotate one
shoulder towards the opposite bent knee
and extend the other leg out
Inhale return the knee and bring the
body back to the centre
*Imprinted spine, rotate shoulder towards the bent knee, pelvis still, reach through the toes, to
make it harder kick lower, elbows wide, shoulders down and back, chin tucked in
HUNDREDS
Exhale to curl up into position of modification 1, 2 or 3, knees squeezed together. Hold this
“hundreds position” for 10 breaths/100 beats of the arms, breath in for 5 arm beats, breath out for 5
arm beats
Start position
Modification 1 - tabletop
*Option to do Level 2 with a band around the feet, holding the band and pulsing the arms
Modification 2- legs extended and toes
pointing towards the ceiling
Modification 3- legs extended and
lowered, feet turned out and flexed
*Imprinted spine, tailbone down, ribs to hips, t-zone flat, neck long, eyes on knees, shoulder
blades down and back
BICEPS WITH BAND – Options for sitting up tall with straight or bent knees, or rolling into a half
rollback with straight knees to increase intensity. Don’t do the half rollback option if have lower
back problems
Inhale to straighten the elbows
Exhale to bend the elbows
* If doing half rollback, keep the spine rounded, t-zone tight, ribs to hips, if sitting up tall neutral spine. Shoulder
blades down and back, neck lengthened chin tucked
BICEPS WITH CIRCLE – options for
standing, kneeling or sitting
EXTERNAL ROTATION WITH BAND – option for
sitting with band around the feet or standing
holding the band in front of the body
Exhale to rotate the arms out to the side
Exhale to press down on the circle
* Shoulder blade down and back, elbow still
*Shoulder blades down and back, ribs towards the
hips, neutral spine, elbows tucked in still by the sides
TRICEPS WITH THE BAND - *Neutral spine, supporting elbow unlocked, shoulders down and back,
make sure the ribs are up against the shoulder blade so the body isn’t sagging through
Inhale
Exhale
TRICEP CIRCLES - *Spine neutral, shoulders down and back, neck elongated and eyes on the mat,
elbows point backwards towards the knees
Inhale shoulders directly over the hands
and bend the elbows, lowering the body
Exhale move the body forwards
and straighten the elbows
FLIGHT – Option for head on the mat or lifted slightly to challenge
Hold this position and turn the palms up, palms down, inhale
for 5 rotations, exhale for 5 rotations
* Reach through the crown of the
head, fingers and toes, chin tucked in
and eyes on the mat, abdominals
lifted the stop the lower back
arching, shoulder blades down and
back
BREASTROKE ARM PREPARATION – Option for head on the mat or lifted to challenge
Start position
Exhale reach the arms forwards
Inhale circle the arms around
* Chin tucked in and eyes on the
mat, lengthening through the
back of the neck, abdominals
lifted the stop the lower back
arching, shoulder blades down
and back, hands just off the floor
INNER THIGH LIFT WITH THE CIRCLE
Inhale to lower
Exhale to lift
* Neutral spine, hips stacked, press down on the circle with the top leg as well as lifting the bottom leg, can also
do circles with the leg rather than straight lifting up and down
DOUBLE LEG LIFT
Inhale to lower
Exhale to lift
* Neutral spine, hips stacked, legs squeezed together, use the top side of the waist, can also do pulses with the
bottom leg lifting up and down to the top leg
PELVIC CURL UP – Option for band around the knees or no band
Inhale to prepare
Exhale and roll up
Inhale to hold at the top, exhale to roll back down
*Roll up and down each vertebrae at a time,
press through the heels, squeeze the buttocks,
press the legs out into the band, knees hip
distance apart, abdominals tight, no arching of
the lower back at the top movement, arms
relaxed, shoulders down and back
*Can hold up and open and close the knees,
Exhale to open, Inhale to return. Keep the hips up
high, one long line between the shoulders hips
and knees, nor arching of the lower back, squeeze
the buttocks
Openings – Exhale to open the knees
CLAM - Option for band tied around the knees/thighs or no band
Inhale knees together
Exhale open the top knee
* Neutral spine, hips stacked, heels squeezed together, activate the top buttock to turn the knee
CLAM KICKOUT - Option for band tied around the knees/thighs or no band
*Hips stacked, neutral spine, squeeze the buttock, lengthen through the toes on the extension and squeeze the
buttock, kick the leg just above hip height back in line with the body
Inhale open the knee
Inhale feet back together
Exhale extend the leg
Exhale knees back together
STRAIGHT LEG RAISE - Option for band tied around the knees/thighs or no band.
*Neutral spine and hips stacked, underneath leg bent to 90 degrees, turn the
foot in to face towards the floor
Inhale to lower the leg
Exhale to lift the leg
CLAM KICKOUT AT 90 DEGREES - Option for band tied around the knees/thighs or no band
Inhale lower the leg
Exhale raise the leg
*Neutral spine, hips stacked, lead with the knee, keep the knee higher than or in line with the foot, squeeze
the buttock, don’t roll backwards
CRAB WALKING - Option for band tied around the ankles or no band
Bent the knees slightly, and start walking
sideways
Exhale to step one leg to the side, stretching
the band
Inhale to step the other leg in
*Maintain the arch of the foot, knees facing
forwards over the 2nd/3rd toes and not rolling
in, squeeze the buttocks to step out, keep the
hips still and don’t let them sway side to side
as you step sideways, neutral spine
HORSEKICK
Inhale
Level 1 – bend and extend the leg
Level 2 – Hold the leg up and pulse up and down
Level 3 – Hold the leg up, turn it out from the hip
joint and sweep side to side
*Keep most of the weight through the supporting
knee not on the hands, reach through the toes,
squeeze both buttocks, neutral spine, hips still,
elbows unlocked, neck long, eyes on the floor,
shoulder down and back
Exhale
(Level 3 – sweep side to side)
HINGE – Option to hold a band in the hands to add resistance or no band
Inhale to lean back
Exhale open the arms
Inhale arms forwards
*Knees hip distance apart, pad up underneath the knees,
neutral spine, buttocks and abdominals tight, shoulders
down and back, shin tucked in
Exhale return to kneeling
KNEELING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH
HAMSTRING STRETCH - BAND
BUTTOCK STRETCH
SPIRAL STRETCH
Start position
Inhale raise the arms, rotate
towards the bent knee
Exhale lean over the straight leg
*Keep even weight on both of the sit bones, neutral spine, shoulders down and back, reach through the fingers, chin
tucked in and neck long